front porch trash

Thursday, July 30, 2015

I had a simple little skirt to list last night. Just needed to make sure that is was a women's skirt and not a girls skirt. Why?

Last week I accepted a return for a denim skirt that was a size 10. I measured it and included the measurements in the listing. Only one problem. I measured it as a 10 women's and it was really a 10 girls. Why did I make this mistake? Because I didn't check the charts. There is a small difference in the actual waist size (about 2" laying flat) and since I am no where in the neighborhood of a women's 10 I just went with visual guessing. Bad choice.

So, I didn't want to make the same mistake again.

So, I checked completed listings for similar style and maker skirts. Found one and checked the listing, no measurements at all. Checked 5 more and finally someone included the measurements. I checked 6 listings before I finally found someone who took the time to include measurements.

I try to be a good seller but this makes me wonder how many other sellers skip the essentials. I am beginning to understand why buyers react so negatively when they have a problem with something they bought. You shouldn't have to email a buyer to find out what the measurements of clothing are. Some buyers take days to answer emails. Most buyers want the answer instantly, or sooner.

I read somewhere, or heard it somewhere, that you should take pictures like there is no description and list like there were no pictures. I don't think I would go that far, but I think a good description helps make the listing more transparent, not like you are hiding anything.

I have reached a similar decision that "the Trash Elves" have reached and I plan on eliminating anything unnecessary from my listing. No more templates. More succinct descriptions and I'm really trying to do better photos. Coming soon to a listing near you!

So, cut corners by cutting out templates. Cut corners by cutting out words. But don't cut corners by leaving out measurements.

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Don't you just love the online selling experience? You get to go shopping and scrub gum and poo from shoes and find amazing things. Well, mostly normal once in a while amazing.

The Good

Is this not beautiful? I found this by accident yesterday while out shopping. It was sitting outside under the sheltered front area right at the front door and no price tag. I WANTED it so I asked for a price. Surprise, surprise they gave me a price. $50. (Did I forget to say I also had a 25% off coupon!!)I didn't have the truck, just my small, 2-door car. And it was quite a struggle to get it in the car. Wouldn't fit in the front seat, duh. Had to tie it in the trunk. Well sort of in the trunk. More out than in. But I made it home and now it is sitting in my kitchen by the deck door. Too hot to go outside anyway.....

Its marked Holstebro Mobelfabrik A/S Made in Denmark!! I'm not a Danish Modern person but I did have enough sense to know it was Danish. I know it was made in Holsterbro, Denmark in the Holstebro Mobelfabrik factory. That's all I have been able to find out. The Mobelfabrik designer name is good and there are a lot of different ones. No actual designer, as I can't find another one even close to the style. In great shape with some scuffs in the wood from moving it around, but nothing major. If anyone has any knowledge or knows where to find any info it would be appreciated.

The Bad

I sold this men's 14K wedding band as my first sale for July. Not bad at $399. I should say I rented this wedding band. I got a return request last week and got it back this week. So much for making ends meet. I received a note from the buyer with the return request. "You can take out the 20% if you want" You bet I want!! Still trying to get the return closed thru ebay. The CS rep told me I needed to escalate the case in order to close the return. I will not escalate the case!!! The last time a CS rep told me that, I got a defect and I had already returned the money. I will not ask for a defect again!!!

The Ugly
While I was shopping yesterday it started to pour rain. The hard, blowing, storm kind of rain. I just kept shopping and let it rain. The building I was in was steel and it sounded like gravel being poured on the roof. When I got ready to leave it was raining so hard I got soaked to the skin getting the 100' to the car. I prefer to shower with my clothes off!! But that's not the ugly part.

On the way home I noticed something on the windshield. It was something small that was right where the rear view mirror was attached. When I got home I checked it out.

A crack in my windshield. I must have happened in the parking lot while I was shopping. I have no idea what hit the glass but with wind gusts over 50 mph whatever it was hit just right and did its damage. I was raining so hard when I got in the car I didn't even notice the crack. From the drivers seat the long, downward crack is almost totally hidden behind the mirror.

And when I got the car unloaded, SweetiePie informed me that he needed to see the doctor because he had an earache, sore throat....oh no!!!

So, if bad things come in 3's I've had my quota for the month of July. I'm totally ready for August. Bring it on dog days of Summer. I can take it.

Sunday, July 5, 2015

I've been very busy these last couple of weeks. I have a ton of inventory to list and I need to get my inventory organized. Two of my not so favorite things to do. I had rather be shopping or shipping. Finding treasures and shipping out sold items is much better than scraping gum off the bottom of a smelly shoe, any day.

I also had a visit from my two Princess Grand Daughters. I'm surprised that they could fit a trip in to Grandma and Grampa's house, what with their busy social schedule. But I picked them up last Saturday and we had a fun week. In spite of the fact that my car had an unexpected trip to the repair shop, we had a great week. I was on the edge of my seat when the girls had to ride in the back of the truck to the post office, but they thought it was fun. We only live about 2 miles from the PO and it is very rural and we barely saw any vehicles on the road. Still I held my breath until we got home.

So.....with all that was going on I didn't get much listed last week. I had better things to do. I didn't get anything listed on Thursday or Friday. No sales on Friday after 10am until 3:09pm on Saturday. That's over 48 hours with no sales. I have days here and there with no sales, but since I hit over 1300 items I very rarely have a day with no sales. Some days I may sell less than $20, but still a sale.

So, how long does it take....after you list something to start getting sales again?

Oh...about 9 minutes!!! I listed something Saturday at 3 pm and at 3:09 I had my first sale in 50+ hours.

Listing and selling definitely are tied together.

A sale of note last week was a men's 14K gold wedding band with 3 small diamonds for $400. Listed for about 6 months. A great way to start the month of July off!! And a plus was that my SweetiePie found it with his metal detector. And it helped cover my $600 clutch repair bill for my car. A win all the way around. Now if he finds a couple more items like that we will have the cost of the detector covered!!Now, I just hope that it doesn't get returned.

I was busy last week with all sorts of things with the Princess'. The oldest is very artistic and when we went to the craft store she wanted some Sculpy to make things while I was teaching her sister how to sew. So after a trip to the craft store and the fabric store we were all set with stuff to keep us busy for the week.Princess M, working on her dress. She did the whole under dress by herself. Cut everything and did really well with the seams. We ran out of time and I finished the fishnet overlay so she could take it home.

Princess H did these all by herself, with her very vivid imagination. She did one more later and we baked them so she could take them home.

Of course Firefly had to help keep things together, and pre-treat everything with cat hair.

About Me

I grew up on a small farm in rural NC. I loved it and now I find myself trying to get back to those times. Waste not want not. I'm trying to get by with just my own wits. Slim pickings! I like to make what my family needs and if I can't make it then it's off to the thrift store to find what I need. I strongly believe in using what you have and using what other folks don't want. (Thanks Mom)